Just Keep Breathing
by msleahbeah3236
Summary: Upon her mother's death, Maya is surprised with two very interesting facts. First, her dad didn't abandon her and second, she has a sister. These discoveries along with her father trying to be a noble man change her life forever. What will happen to Maya in this crazy turn of events? Sorry that my summary fails... Matlingsworth Maya's kind of OOC.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay guys... I'll be honest here. I've never done a fic like this before. it's a bit darker than I'm used to. Maya is also extremely out of character. I think she'd be like this if she went through this. You'll see. Please tell me what you think and if it's worth considering. This and the next chapter are kind of exposition chapters and won't have too much actual story, but if this intrigues you at all... let me know in a review or by favoriting and or following.**

**I know that I've got crazy stories going, but my laptop died and I lost the most recent chapters of pretty much all of them and I couldn't bring myself to rewrite quite yet. I promise I will eventually, but I'm getting uaed to the keyboard and I thought it would be fun to try something else.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own degrassi.**

My mom has driven home drunk plenty of times and been fine, but I guess it only takes one stupid mistake to end a life and ruin another. It's her own fault. Maybe if she had stopped drinking for one day then she would still be here. Maybe if she put my needs ahead of hers for once. Maybe if she was a normal mother, but she wasn't, and now she's gone.

I'm sad. Of course I'm sad. My mother just wrapped her car around a tree a day ago, but I'm not worried. So what if I don't have anyone to take care of me. I never have had anyone. I was more of a parent to my mother than anything else. She'd come home late after a night of partying and getting high with her stupid boyfriend, and I would be there at home waiting to make sure that she got to bed safe. To make sure she chugged a glass of water before hitting the hay so she could go to work the next day. I was more of a parent to her in the last four years than she ever was to me.

I'm the one who makes sure the trailer is clean. I'm the one who cooks. I'm the one who makes sure that the bills are paid and there is food in the fridge before my mom can go out and blow her paycheck on booze. To say the least I'm pretty self-reliant for a 14 year old girl, but my social worker doesn't see that. They don't have a lot of options with orphaned children… not that I would ever consider myself a child.

Rachel says that she's going to try and contact my father. I've never met my father. When I was younger I would ask about him when I saw my friends with their dads, but it would only piss off my mother… sometimes she'd cry.

She told me that he abandoned her and me the minute she told him she was pregnant, and eventually I stopped caring. He obviously wants nothing to do with me… why should I want anything to do with him?

Rachel is determined to make sure that I don't end up in a group home, but honestly I don't care. I'd been in and out of the system for years when I was younger and everything about it sucks. I haven't been taken away since I was maybe 9. After that I was able to make sure that I bathed regularly, ate food, and that I got my ass to school on time.

If there was one thing that I hated more than being with my mom when she was drinking it was being with randoms when they were drinking. I managed to be placed in THE WORST foster homes in the freaking city, I swear. There was the one with the pyro kid who lit my favorite doll that my grandma had given me before she died on fire, and the other with the lady with the cats who smelled absolutely awful.

I think a group home would probably be for the best, but Rachel doesn't see things my way. She is still insisting on calling my dad despite the fact that he left before I was born because he wanted nothing to do with me.

"Maya, I'm not really supposed to talk about your file with you because you're a minor, but this says you have a 17 year old sister. I know that I've known you for years, and she's never been brought up. Do you know of her whereabouts?" Rachel asks me curiously pointing at some paper in the manila folder with my name on the tab.

I give her a look like she must be crazy because I don't have a sister. I think I would know if I had a freaking sister. "Um… I don't have any siblings. My mom had me when she was 19… How could I have an older sister?" I ask Rachel laughing at her stupidity in the matter.

"These records indicate that your mother gave birth to a baby girl at Saint Helen's hospital in 1995, and I figured she was assigned to another department or maybe she lived with a family member that you didn't know about, but I've looked through everything and there is no record of where she ended up." Rachel explains a frown on her face as she flips through papers.

What is this woman coming up with here? I don't have a sister. My mom would tell me if I had a sister. "I looked up her birth certificate at the hospital and it says that you share a father. The only conclusion I can come to is that she lives with him." Rachel continues with a satisfied smile as the brunette woman in a gray suit takes her glasses off setting them on the table alongside my file.

"Rachel, have you lost your mind? My mom wouldn't have lied to me about something like that." I tell my social worker who hates that I call her by her first name.

"Maya honey, I'm going to give your father a call, and we'll figure it out." She assures me with a fake smile as she shoos me out of her office and into the hall picking up the stupid phone from her desk that looks like it is straight out of 1999 along with everything else in this godforsaken office.

I roll my eyes giving Rachel Dull the most disgruntled look I possibly can as I march out of the office into the familiar, dingy hallway sitting on the bench. This office really could use an upgrade. I'm positive the only thing that has changed in the last 11 years is the number of wrinkles on Marsha the receptionists face.

It's weird to me that I'm here again. I'm sure after 5 years without being contacted about me Rachel probably thought that she was done with me… Heck I thought I was done with her, but I guess life had a different plan for me. I was Rachel's first case… She was just out of college and so excited to start. I loved her enthusiasm when I was a kid. She was always so nice and cordial, but as I've gotten older, Rachel has hardened.

Don't get me wrong… she's still nice… ish, but being a social worker can be tough. You see a lot of bad things and can't change all of them. She still is determined to make sure things end well for me though. I guess it's because I was her first case, and she feels some sort of duty to make my life better… Too bad for her it can't really get there given the current circumstances.

About a half hour after I am shooed out of the office Rachel emerges from the closed door with a bright smile on her face. "Maya, I have the greatest news!" she tells me happily as she claps her hands together in an overly peppy manner. It reminds me of the cheerleaders at school. Is it bad that I could see Rachel being a cheerleader in high school? She's got the enthusiasm for it and the optimism. She'd be one of the quiet ones in the back though… You know the ones that actually have souls, but are too weak to ever stand up to their bitchy leaders?

"What's your news?" I ask not really caring as I roll my eyes at the now 30 something year old woman.

"Your father didn't know about you!" she tells me happily as if that is supposed to bring some excitement or relief to my demeanor. "And that is relevant because?" I question sarcastically and she grins jumping up and down almost tripping as one of her 3 inch pumps snags on the old carpeting.

"He lives in Toronto just an hour or so north of here and your sister lives with him. He left your mother, but had no clue she was pregnant with you when he did. He's coming down here today to come meet you. You're going to live with him if everything checks out which I'm sure it will. He's a lawyer, and a good one at that. I have finally resolved your case!" she explains quickly with more enthusiasm than I had ever seen her with. That's a lot considering our first meeting when she literally was so excited that I thought she had a facial tick with all of the smile spasms.

I raise my eyebrows at her not knowing what else to do as she continues to be way too happy. "You got all of that from a 30 minute conversation?" I ask her standing up from the scratchy green bench and following her back into the office as she nods.

Sitting back down in the chair as Rachel fills out paper work I ponder what is happening here. I'm not an only child. I have a sister. My dad didn't abandon me. He didn't know about me. Why would my mother lie about that all of these years? Did she not know how wrong it is to keep that sort of thing a secret? Did she not care when I spent nights crying myself to sleep because I was certain that neither my mom nor my dad cared about me? I guess she didn't know about that. I would only cry about it when I was a kid and scared left home alone by myself.

Looking back on it I can't even believe that I cried over something as stupid as being left by myself for a couple of days. I don't care if I was 6. I was potty trained. She left me with a couple bags of chips and access to water. I was such a freaking wuss.

I think what scared me most about those times was not knowing if she'd ever come back or not. I stopped caring about that when I turned about 10, and was able to do basically everything for myself.

But now I have a dad… a lawyer dad, and a sister. This is crazy. I can't believe that not even 3 days ago I was sitting in the trailer with my mom watching Judge Judy as she binged on a six pack of Labatt's, and now not only is my mom dead, but now I find out that I have a sister and that the story I had believed my entire life about my dad is a lie.

Crazy how things work out.

Rachel put a lot of rush on my dad's background check. She doesn't want me ending up with another crazy after what happened at my last foster home. Understandable… It came back clear just as she figured it would, and I honestly didn't care either way. I'm not sure why, but I've lost all of my hope. I figure that all of the options in Rachel's mind will suck equally as bad for me so I just don't give a shit anymore.

When Mr. Gregory Matlin arrives at the social work office Rachel leads him into her office and he takes the seat next to mine glancing at me sadly. He looks so excited to meet me…

"Maya, this is Gregory Matlin… your dad." Rachel introduces as the man who shares my eyes and my nose holds his hand out to shake mine.

"Howdy Greg! It's great to meetcha!" I say sarcastically shaking the man's hand from my seat and rolling my eyes. Just because I have lost all hope for my future doesn't mean that I'm gonna fold and be nice… That just wouldn't be me.

"She's a bit of a jokester." Rachel assures my dear old dad with a smile as I fold my arms over my chest starting to pout at her speaking for me.

"It's great to meet you." The man tells me with his voice a lot shakier than I thought it would be. He looks kind of stern on the exterior with his fancy suit and tie, but his voice says otherwise. He's nervous about meeting me… maybe upset even. Well Sorry Mr. Big Shot Lawyer dude. I didn't want her to call you in the first place.

"So your background check came back almost spotless with only a small misdemeanor for speeding in 2000 so we just need to fill out some paper work and then we can arrange for you to take her. It's great that you're doing this for her. It really is." Rachel explains handing the man a pen and a stack of papers.

"Maya, why don't you go out in the hall or talk to Marsha while I talk to your dad for a little bit" Rachel insists shooing me out of the room again as the stranger of a man who I will be living with looks through the papers he was handed.

I stand up from the chair rolling my eyes ass I walk out of the room and into the hall. I purposely leave the door open a crack just so I can hear all that Rachel tells this man. I don't know why she needs to talk to him alone. I hope she doesn't tell him about the incident.

I hear Rachel spout off things about me. She calls me a "sweet and caring girl with a troubled past." Does this bitch know me at all? I'm so far from sweet, and I don't give a shit about anyone… The only people that I cared about at all are dead; Grandma, Grandpa, and now my mom.

"She's been in and out of foster care and has had some very rough experiences. She really is a very nice girl. She's just stubborn, and she has a lot of trust issues." Rachel further explains to the man. I roll my eyes at how she labels me. I'm not nice. I'm not stubborn, and I sure as hell don't have trust issues. I have just never had a person worth trusting in my life since my grandparents died when I was 4.

"She's such a smart girl too. She's only a freshman, but she is at the top of her class even with her poor attendance record." She continues with a hopeful tone.

"Um… I have one concern. I have three kids at home to think about here. Will she be okay with that?" the man asks my social worker and she doesn't respond vocally. Since I can't see them I'm guessing she nodded her head. There's no way she would have all of this hard work fall apart because I don't get along well with others.

I don't get along well with others. I have A friend. I used to have more, but I don't talk to a lot of people anymore. I don't know why, but I'm not very social. The only reason Zig tolerates me is because he has a huge crush on me and we live in the same trailer park… or lived.

His family is a lot more put together than me and my mom were. They own a convenient store, and he's in the double wide section. We hang out a lot… ish. Lately, he's been hanging out with Damon a lot, and Damon doesn't really like me so… yeah. I don't know. He won't miss me when I leave.

After what seems like hours of Rachel talking nonsense about how I'm an "amazing person" to my dad they come out of the office, and Rachel takes us both to the lobby before saying goodbye to me and slipping me a sticky note with her personal phone number on it "Just in case".

I am escorted by the strange man who shares my DNA to a pretty snazzy looking vehicle. It's a lot nicer than the 94, rusted out, junker that my mom died in that's for damn sure.

"So… Ms. Dull tells me you need to grab some things before we head off. May I ask you the address?" the man asks starting the car. "Mayfair Trailer Park." I tell him with a frown on my face as he sets the location in the fancy little GPS.

"Listen… I'm really sorry, Maya. If I would have known…" he starts before stopping unable to find the words to convey just what he wanted to say to me. I look out the window as we drive to the trailer park, and eventually in the driveway of my home... well, old home. I get out of the car walking up the shabby wooden steps to the front door unlocking it with the key in my pocket quickly as he turns the car off.

I rush to my bedroom grabbing garbage bags from the kitchen drawers on my way there. Quickly, I stuff the contents of my dresser into the black plastic bags and grab a few other keepsakes from the trailer. I don't have much, but I grab an old picture album, my mom's jewelry box, and a few other little reminders of my life here. It wasn't the fanciest place, but it's been home for the last 6 years.

Walking into the living room I notice Greg had decided to follow me into the house shooting me a fake smile as he looks around at the surely disgusting to him inhabitance.

"I'm ready." I tell him holding my garbage bag of clothes, and few little things in my other arm, "That's all you're bringing?" he asks raising an eyebrow at me cautiously.

"Yup!" I respond with a little annoyance in my tone before he nods his head understandingly and leads the way out the door.

"Maya!" I hear a familiar teenage boy call rushing over to where I put my bag in the trunk of Greg's car. Greg and I turn around at the same time and I see Zig standing in front of me with a concerned look on his face as he looks over Greg in his suit and tie.

"I'm leaving." I tell him quickly breaking his concentration and causing the 15 year old to give me a sad look. I heard about your mom. Are you okay? Where are you going? Please don't tell me you're going to another foster family!" he responds quickly walking closer to me, and giving me a protective glare. He's one of the only people who knows what happened aside from Rachel.

"Zig, this is Greg Matlin… He's my dad, and I'm going to be staying with him... in Toronto." I tell the boy biting my lip nervously.

"You're moving an hour away? I'm never going to see you!" he starts with wide eyes, and I nod my head. "You'll get over it." I groan rolling my eyes at the fact that he's so concerned right now yet last week when I wanted to hang out he was too busy with the little jack ass to talk to me.

"You can come visit your friends, Maya. It's no trouble at all." Greg adds in looking between Zig and I… "Or boyfriend?" he asks confusedly raising an eyebrow.

I let out a huff before quickly shaking my head "Not my boyfriend!" I tell Greg laughing at the fact he assumed that. "Barely even my friend!" I add glaring at Zig and causing him to give me a sullen frown. "Maya, you don't mean that!" he comments sadly grabbing my shoulder as I turn away from him quickly. "I do. You kept ditching me for Damon. I see how it is." I tell him pulling my arm away as Greg follows my lead returning to the car.

As we drive off I look in the rear view and see Zig standing there sadly. I don't care though. I don't care about anyone anymore.

**So should I continue this?**


	2. Chapter 2

**I will update my other stories eventually. I promise that I will, but now I'm trying to get the files from my dead computer so that I don't have to rewrite. My mom is trying and she's pretty sure that she can do it when she has the time. If she takes too long then I'll just rewrite, and be sad about it. Anyway, here is chapter 2 of my first Matlingsworth fic. I'm glad that you guys liked the first one... or were intrigued. Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed and favorited and followed. It means a lot.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own degrassi**

"So… Gregory, do any of those three kids know about me yet?" I inquire in an extremely laughable tone breaking the awkward silence that had settled in the car.

"Not yet… I didn't have much time. I told my wife about you very briefly, but the kids were at school." He tells me hesitantly watching the highway in front of him as we make the hour long drive from Hamilton to Toronto.

"Yeah? This should be exciting then." I add laughing at all of the possibilities of how this could go down. I know they're going to hate me. Everyone hates me. Greg doesn't even know me and he probably already hates me. I'm not a people person and that's just how it is.

"So… I'd like to know about this whole thing with you and my mom." I add after the awkward silence resumes. Let's just keep a conversation going, idiot! Is that too much to ask!

"Um… not much to tell. I met Renee when we were in high school… She got pregnant at 16 with Katie, and we tried to stay together as long as possible, but eventually I couldn't take the substance abuse anymore and I didn't want Katie growing up around that so I took her to Toronto where my mother's mother lived. I was single for about 2 years when I met my wife. She was also a young mother. She had a two year old son, Miles, and eventually we got married and then we had Erin 5 years ago." He explains giving me a lot more than I had initially asked for. I asked for what happened with him and my mom... I don't really care about anything else.

"I didn't ask for your whole life story." I groan annoyed looking out the window as he apologizes.

"Would you have left if you knew about me?" I ask him after another long pause, and he's taken aback by this question. "Of course not. I'm so sorry that you had to go through all of that." He adds sadly.

That's a little bit reassuring. At least he wouldn't abandon a kid by choice. "It wasn't that bad." I tell him with a frown, and he just nods clearly not believing that for two seconds.

It was a pretty shitty lie. I didn't even make it sound believable. It was that bad. It was very bad when I was a kid… and the foster homes… and having to take care of my mom… It kind of sucked, but it's just how life was.

"So… your wife? What's she like?" I question pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose as I stare out the window at the trees lining the highway.

"Her name is Gwen. She's an excellent person. She's a high school teacher at the local high school, Degrassi, and I'm sure that you'll like her." He explains with a smile.

"You don't know what type of person I would like. You don't know anything about me. Rachel totally lied. I'm not nice. I'm not sweet. I'm not caring. I'm a total bitch to everyone." I sigh irritated and he opens his eyes widely at that. What? I don't like when people assume things about me.

"When we get there and you meet everyone… could you keep the swearing to a minimum around Erin?" he asks cautiously and I just chuckle slightly at that. He's trying to change me… I don't fucking think so. I'll say what I want.

"I'll try my best around the kid you're actually raising." I tell him rolling my eyes. He sighs continuing to drive before looking over at me. "I had no idea you existed. I wouldn't have left you there if I had known. I promise you that." He replies more than likely feeling guilt build up at the fact that he didn't even know about me.

I huff and stare out the window as we arrive in Toronto. I'd never been outside of Hamilton before today, and it's crazy how much bigger Toronto is. Eventually, we arrive outside a large, suburban home, and I realize that if he would have stuck around a few months longer than I'd have a completely different life right now. I don't know if I'm necessarily disappointed about it though. I would have hated this lifestyle too. I will hate this lifestyle. It's not me. Nothing is me… I'm just a loner.

"Home sweet home!" he smiles turning the key in the ignition and powering down the car before stepping out and grabbing my things from the trunk.

I take my things from the older man and he leads the way to the large front door of the brick house with the lawn perfectly trimmed in front, and the flower beds weeded and manicured perfectly in the cooling fall air.

He opens the door and I am greeted by a large staircase. This is the fanciest house I've ever been in. It's official. "Dad, mom wanted me to ask you if Zoe could come ov…" a dark haired boy around my age starts walking down the stairs before noticing me standing there.

I feel his eyes looking me up and down and I begin to feel self-conscious as the boy who I can only really describe as attractive bites his lower lip walking down the stairs.

"Your sister" Greg tells the boy gaining a mixture of a horrified and confused expression as he quickly looks away from me.

"What?" He asks Greg completely baffled by this new information. The boys fair skin turns a bright shade of red as he looks at Greg both mortified by the fact that he was checking me out and confused by the man's previous statement. It's kind of funny.

"Turns out Katie's mother was pregnant when I left her and Maya here is my long undiscovered daughter." Greg comments to the boy smiling and putting an arm on my shoulder hugging me to his side. Ew! Gross! I don't do physical contact.

I push away from Greg and he apologizes once again before the boy looks at me with a shocked face. "Well, isn't that a movie plot waiting to happen." He laughs looking between Greg and me.

"I can see the resemblance… She's cuter!" the boy comments pointing at me, and then receiving a glare from Greg before he walks away ashamed at what he had said. It makes me smile. He's actually really cute, and he thinks I'm cute? That's insane.

"Teenagers…" Greg groans looking at the boy as he walks into another room of the large house.

"No big deal." I comment with a small smirk as I look around the home curiously. It's really big. The ceilings are high. There is a freaking chandelier in the entryway. Who puts a chandelier in the entryway?

"Gwendolyn! I'm home, and I brought her!" Greg calls into the home causing a woman to emerge from the door beside the staircase.

The brunette haired woman dressed in a light pink cardigan and jeans smiles at me widely as she stands maybe 8 feet from me. She looks so put together. Her teeth are perfect. Her bangs are trimmed perfectly straight. I've never seen someone so annoyingly perfect in appearance.

"Maya, this is my wife, Gwen…. Gwen, this is my daughter, Maya." The tall brown haired man who shares my blue eyes comments introducing me to this woman.

"It's so great to meet you, honey." She says coming closer to me with her arms open. I don't do hugs… Why is everyone trying to hug me? I don't know any of them.

I take a few steps backward with my garbage bag and trinkets in hand as I hit the door with my back. Gwen takes the hint taking her arms down before offering to help carry my things up to the guest room.

"I'm fine thanks." I tell her quickly. I don't want her to get her happy all over my clothes. It's annoying.

"Katie!" Greg calls up the stairs and seconds later a girl comes down the stairs giving me a curious look. "What? Who's the girl?" the girl who I guess is my sister asks Greg confusedly before he explains the whole situation to her. This is getting old really fast. If I have to hear him call me his "long lost daughter" one more time I'm going to vomit.

"My mom's dead?" the brown haired girl dressed in a t- shirt and gym shorts asks with concern in her voice as Gregory nods solemnly at her.

"And you're my sister?" she asks raising an eyebrow at me still bewildered by the news as I nod my head. "Guess so." I tell her with an amused smirk as she glances at her father completely baffled.

It's not that difficult is it? It's not like I'm an alien life force. I'm a person, and I don't care how shocking it is to all of these people that I exist. I do exist. I've existed for 14 years and they just didn't know about me. It's not impossible obviously.

"Wow… this is a lot to take in." Katie groans holding her forehead with her hand as she paces the foyer. A lot to take in? Try finding out that your mother had been lying to you about everything for 14 years. Try having to take in the fact that the only person you've ever had has died! I'm going through more shit than she is and I'm not pacing the floor like an idiot.

"Is that why you weren't at the firm when I stopped by after school?" the girl asks Greg curiously and he nods.

"Can we all convene in the living room for a moment? I'd like to get everyone situated and introduced properly." Greg smiles at his family putting a hand on my back guiding me to the room the boy had disappeared to. I'd really like it if he would not touch me. I'm not a touchy feely person… never have been… never will be.

"Katie, can you go get your sister?" Gwen asks the teenage girl with a warm smile and the 17 year old rushes up the stairs to fetch the kid.

The living room has a very strange set up consisting of 2 matching couches facing each other with a flat screen on the wall above a fireplace in between. The attractive boy lays reclined on one of the couches texting before his mother lifts his feet sitting down beside him. Greg points to the other couch signaling for me to sit on it, and I do.

The seventeen year old comes down the stairs holding a little girls hand leading her to her mother's lap before sitting on the same couch as me, but as far away as possible. Is she scared that I'll bite her or something?

Gregory nods his head awkwardly acknowledging that the entire family was grouped in the same room before starting. "So clearly this is going to be a big change for all of us, but I'd like all of you to treat Maya like she's a part of the family because as of today… she is. Gwen and I briefly spoke earlier and decided that Maya will be moving into the guest room. I guess other than that we'll have to take this one step at a time." Gregory explains placing a hand on his wife's knee.

"Um... I'll make the call to get you enrolled at Degrassi as soon as possible, but until then… Gwen, do you think you can take her in and give her a tour of the school and just an idea of what classes are like?" Gregory asks Gwen with a sincere smile. They're disgustingly nice to each other.

"Of course. You can come with us tomorrow." she explains smiling at me. She's disgustingly nice in general. Eventually, the shy little girl sitting on Gwen's lap is pushed over to say hi to me, and told that I'm her sister. She looks kind of like I did as a kid. She's got the almost white hair and the same eyes that I apparently share with my sister and my dad as well.

I don't find her nearly as obnoxious as everyone else in this family probably because she's a small and shy little girl.

"So… Maya, tell us a little about yourself. What do you like to do?" Gwen asks as the small girl crawls back up on her lap getting as far away from me as possible.

Are they really making me explain myself right now? My god! I just want to go home. After a few minutes of me not responding the woman starts again this time only asking a yes or no question. "Do you like any sports? Katie just loves soccer!"

"No." I tell her frowning before she continues this little game of twenty fucking questions. "Do you like music?" she inquires awkwardly and I automatically without even trying roll my eyes. Is this bitch serious? Who on the fucking planet doesn't like music?

I nod my head at her and she keeps the stupid questions coming. "Do you play any instruments or anything? One of my great friends is the band teacher at Degrassi."

"I play guitar. Not really interested in being a band geek though." I tell her with a strong exhale of breath. I wish she would stop talking to me. I don't like talking to people like her… Authority figures and what not.

"Okay… I'm going to start dinner. Maya, is there anything that you don't like food wise? I wouldn't want to make something that you don't like." The woman comments handing the five year old to Gregory before looking at me expectantly

"I don't care. I'm not really hungry." I add awkwardly before noticing Katie glare at me confusedly. Ahh… just as I suspected. Everyone here will hate me.

This is so much worse than I ever could have imagined. They're all so perfect, and I'm just some trailer trash, charity case that they're taking in because they pity me… Well, newsflash! I don't need anyone's pity. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

"Come with me! I'll show you to your room." Greg interjects standing up and setting Erin down on the couch as I stand up with my bag, empty jewelry box, and photo album following him up the stairs. Wow this place is ridiculous. I don't even think I can take how big it is.

I'm led to a bright white room with big windows and a lot of light coming in. I'm no vampire, but this is not working for me. There is a double bed with a white comforter, a matching white dresser across from it, and a closet with mirrored doors. It seems almost hospital like with all of the white. Who would ever design a room to be so plain? The only color in the room comes from a god awful painting on the wall above the bed. It looks like it was done by a 3 year old having a seizure with all of the sporadic lines and melting colors.

"We'll change it to make you more comfortable. I know it's kind of plain. It's just how Gwen's mother liked it." Greg explains looking around the room as I set my things on the bed.

"Okay… Thanks." I tell him sitting down next to the garbage bag. He smiles at me and I realize that it was the first time I had said anything remotely nice or appreciative to him. He shouldn't get used to it. It rarely happens.

He exits the room a smile adorning his face and I try to make myself feel at home setting the old felt bottomed jewelry box and photo album on the dresser neatly before unloading the jumble of clean clothes from the garbage bag and folding them nicely into the dresser drawers. When all is done I toss the empty trash bag into the small garbage can beside the dresser before plopping down on the surprisingly comfy bed.

I haven't slept in days. It's not that I haven't tried, but a police station is not really a good place to catch some Z's and neither is a social work office.

I find myself melting onto the pillow, and eventually dozing off completely not bothering to cover myself with the fluffy down comforter. I'm way too tired.

**Alright, so what did you think? I know that it's weird that they're step siblings in this, but I have an obsession with Derek and Casey from Life with Derek and I think they belong together despite the fact that they're step siblings. I also liked Jake and Clare. Personally, I have never had a step sibling, but I don't think it's gross unless they grow up together... If you don't like it then don't read it, but I really hope you do. Thanks! Please tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry that it's been such a long time. I got busy with school stuff. i'm trying I swear. Thanks for understanding. I'm glad you guys liked it! This chapter might not seem super finished because it's not. The chapter ended up being like 5000 words so I split it.**

Waking up in the middle of the night my throat is entirely too dry for my liking, and I have to pee. I actually don't know where the bathroom is, but I need to find it.

Exiting the room to a dark hallway I fumble around for a light switch finding one close to the staircase. I meander the long path looking for any sign that behind one of these doors there will be a restroom. That door says "Katie's room" so that's out of the equation, but the rest of these doors are exactly alike. Any of them could be a restroom. I guess I should just choose one, and find out.

I grab the handle to the door directly next to mine and turn it slightly not wanting to wake anyone in my search for the restroom. "Erin?" a groggy male's voice asks from the pitch black room. In the slit of light I notice the dark haired, green eyed boy from earlier. Woops… Wrong guess.

"I'm sorry. I'm looking for the bathroom." I apologize in a whisper before closing his door and turning around to look at the rest of the doors. 3 more plausible guesses... I sigh trying to choose which one to try before the door behind me opens back up causing me to jump slightly turning around to see what had happened or who was there.

Noticing the boy from earlier behind me at a very close proximity wearing nothing but a pair of loose fitting boxers, I back away hitting my back on the wall across the hall before stopping. I'm speechless as I look at the boy's shirtless body. He's more attractive than I thought… and I probably look like a just rolled out of bed mess… Perfect!

"End of the hall Last door. There's one downstairs too." The tall boy explains in a husky, tired voice trying to let his eyes adjust to the bright light in the hallway. "Um… thanks. Sorry to wake you." I tell him anxiously biting my lower lip before making my way to the door he said to be the restroom.

After I pee, I notice my reflection in the mirror while washing my hands. Yup… total hot mess. Smoothing down a few stray hairs with the cool water rushing on my fingers I sigh. Why do I even care? I never cared what I looked like around Zig… Why is this Miles character so different? Well, Maya it's quite simple… Did you see those freaking abs?

Unconsciously, I roll my eyes at myself, and the fact that I'm putting effort into looking nice at 5 in the morning for not only a complete stranger, but a boy who calls my biological father dad… That's creepy.

Exiting the bathroom I make my way back to the all-white bedroom passing the boys door on my way there. He'd obviously decided to wake up. He's lying on his bed with a remote in his hand flipping through television channels.

"Aren't you going to get some more sleep?" I inquire standing in the doorway raising an eyebrow at the still shirtless boy as he leans back on his propped up pillows watching the bright screen.

"I have to wake up for school in about an hour anyway. I figure that I might as well catch up on some of my shows." He adds in that deep voice. "oh… sorry!" I apologize one last time for waking him up. Oh my god Maya, what the fuck is wrong with you? Don't apologize more than once for the same thing. You don't do that even if the boy is really hot.

I walk back to the room where I had slept for quite a long while… 12 hours to be exact. I don't need any more sleep either, but I wouldn't mind taking a shower. I feel kind of gross. I was sweating in my black knit sweater and jeans in my sleep. I guess even laying on down can get really warm.

Should I just wait for someone else to wake up? Should I ask the boy what to do? This is so awkward. I just want to be back at home where I feel that I can shower whenever I want to.

There is a stir in the hallway before Gwen is standing in the doorway wearing pajamas. "Good morning, Maya." She greets with a smile. "Did you sleep alright?" she asks, and I nod quietly in response.

"That's good. We can go to the Home Depot or something soon, and make some changes in here. We can have it painted whatever color you want. I know the white is a little overwhelming to some especially around when the sun is peaking in through those windows." The brown haired woman not wearing any makeup and with messily pulled back hair tells me pointing to the large windows causing me to nod in response again.

She's a little too peppy for it to be this early, but she's less annoying when she's not so pretty. She smiles one last time before turning around in the doorway ready to go down the stairs.

"Um Gwen" I say awkwardly before she pivots on her foot facing me again with a smile. "Yes dear?" she asks happily. Dear? Really? I was just starting to not mind you and you go and call me dear? I'm not your dear!

"Could I maybe shower? And, I kind of forgot my toothbrush." I tell her nervously before she laughs slightly. "Of course you can shower. Um… The bathroom is down the hall. Let me go fetch some things you might need from my bathroom. All of Miles's stuff is in that one." She explains warmly before turning down the hall and returning back a few minutes later with a towel, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, a wash cloth, a tooth brush… the works.

"Here you go, Hun." She grins handing me the load of stuff in her arms. You can just throw your dirty clothes in the bathroom hamper. The house keeper comes today, and they'll be back on your bed folded up when we get home." She explains. They have a house keeper? Who the fuck are these people? She's a teacher and he's a lawyer. Sure lawyers make a lot, but not this much. I'm guessing she comes from money or something stupid.

She continues down the stairs returning to her morning routine and I go back to the restroom with the things she handed me and an outfit for the day.

When I'm all cleaned up and ready, I notice that the rest of the household had woken up, and the sun was rising through the front windows in the home. Making my way down the stairs in my ripped jeans and a beige, knit sweater a few sizes too big that I had been given as a hand me down from my mom, I nearly trip over a small book bag on the last few steps. I'm guessing it belongs to Erin.

Walking around the bottom floor of the home looking for signs of life, I come across the kitchen complete with fancy stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops. Did I expect anything less from people who need a house keeper to clean up after them?

"Morning Maya, are you hungry? I'm just making the kids some eggs. Do you like eggs?" Greg asks from a kitchen island with a range stove top as he stirs eggs in a pan.

Even the smell of eggs makes me kind of sick. I'm not sure if I'm really picky, but I am a vegetarian… It's not because I love animals or any of that bull shit. I just don't like how meat or anything from an animal tastes.

"I'm alright." I tell Greg as I glance around the kitchen. It seriously looks like it comes from a magazine or some shit.

Gwen sitting in the breakfast nook thingy with Miles and Erin looks up from her paper giving me a concerned look. "Honey, you have to eat something. You didn't eat dinner last night either." The woman who had fixed her hair and makeup tells me with a worried smile.

"My name is Maya not Honey, and I'm just not hungry, okay?" I tell her in a hostile tone and she nods before looking back down at her paper. Miles looks over at me amused and I walk out of the kitchen unable to stand the smell of the scrambled eggs.

I sit on the floor in the corner of the living room for no reason really. I don't have anything better to do. Looking around I notice pictures of the kids hanging up everywhere along with people I'd never seen before. And, over on the wall is a picture of Gwen and Greg on their wedding day. Yep, she must come from money… I guess it could be him, but what would a man with money want with my mom ever? They looked a lot younger in the picture…. Maybe 20 or 21. If I have this timing thing down right then that puts me at 1 or 2 when he got married. Another picture of the wedding shows them with a little boy and a little boy who was maybe 2 or 3, and another girl who looked a lot like me. Her hair was lighter then. Its Katie I'm sure of it. If I'm 14 and she's 17 then that makes me 3 years younger than her and if she looks about 5 in that picture than that makes me about 2 when he got married.

Another picture shows the 3 kids in the family, Katie, Miles, and Erin posing in front of a blank wall. They were obviously professional pictures and were probably taken a few years ago. Erin looks a lot younger… maybe 3. Miles also looks kind of prepubescent whereas Katie looks almost exactly the same.

Speak of the devil….or think of her rather. Katie comes down the stairs looking a lot different than she had yesterday. Replacing her gym shorts and t- shirt is an expensive looking blazer covering a white blouse with dark wash skinny's and ballet flats on her feet. Her coppery brown hair is down and curly as she looks at me sitting in the corner bored.

"What are you doing in the corner?" she inquires accusingly before I respond with a shrug. "Okay" she adds giving me a curious look before turning around and mumbling something. I heard the words "I can't believe I have to live with such a freak." Come out of her mouth and I frown to myself.

She's an arrogant bitch. Who does she think she is calling me a freak? She doesn't even know me.

"Are we all ready to go, guys?" Gwen questions her kids as they all walk from the kitchen to the foyer. "Maya, are you ready?" she asks me and I get up from the floor following them out the front door to a large SUV.

"Shotgun!" Katie calls carrying a large tote bag on her arm as she gets into the passenger seat of the car. I climb into the car and end up sitting between Erin's empty booster chair and Miles as we drive the short distance to a nearly void of teenagers building with a sign that reads "Degrassi Community School" Gwen pulls into a spot that has a "reserved for Mrs. Matlin, teacher of the year" sign posted above it as Miles climbs out of the car leaving the door open for me as I scoot out following him. Teacher of the year? Seriously?

"So Maya, today and tomorrow you're just shadowing, but starting next week you'll be a student here. I have classes almost every period, but Miles and Katie will make sure to show you around." Gwen explains causing Katie to scoff. Wow… she really hates me already.

Miles raises an eyebrow at his step sister and I notice yet another thing that makes him attractive. Dude has got some nice facial features.

"Okay… we've got 45 minutes before the school day officially starts, but I have some things I need to do. Katie, will you give Maya a quick tour maybe introduce her to some of your friends?" Gwen asks the older girl gaining an eye roll from her in response… Maybe we are sisters…

"I can't I have student council stuff to deal with." Katie tells Gwen, and she nods before turning to Miles. "Take her around. Introduce her to Winston and Zoe." Gwen commands her son and he nods before walking away from her motioning for me to follow him.

I walk with Miles trailing a few paces behind as we head up the front steps of the school. "So Maya, where should we start with this tour?" he asks me with a subtle smirk turning to face me.

I shrug my shoulders and he starts talking. "This is the foyer." He explains gesturing to the room surrounding us. It's just an average looking entryway with a couple of trophy cases. He leads me down an empty hallway filled with lockers pointing out various rooms and wings of the large school before we make it to the cafeteria.

There are a few kids in the cafeteria, and Miles leads me to a table full of them where a brown haired girl walks over to him wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. Ew… Get a room.

They pull away and the girl notices me standing next to Miles. "Excuse me, creepy girl. Could you give us some space?" the brown haired girl says to me in a bitchy tone. I assume she thinks I'll apologize and shy away. I've been told I look sweet, but I'm not.

"I was told to follow him around so… no. I'm good. Maybe if space is what you want you shouldn't be groping each other in school." I snap back crossing my arms over my chest and standing my ground.

"Um… Zoe, this is Maya. She's living at my house now. I guess she's my step sister." He tells his little prissy girlfriend with a smile gesturing to me.

"Maya, this is Zoe… my friend." He introduces me to her. I laugh at the expression on her face the minute he calls her his friend. Honestly, I figured he'd call her his girlfriend after that disgustingly sloppy kiss they just shared, but I mean… who could blame him? She's obviously a total bitch… or maybe just a wannabe. One thing I can say about Zoe is that she looks very familiar.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" I inquire curiously tilting my head at the scowling girl before she responds pleased with herself.

"You may recognize me from television… I play Gatsby Garcia on the hit drama, West Drive." She informs me smirking a satisfied smirk before I burst into laughter wiping that cocky grin right off of her face.

"Oh my god! That is where I've seen you. My friend and I used to watch it when nothing else was on and make fun of the terrible acting and stupid storylines." I giggle at her pleased at myself for actually having done that.

She scowls at me again before grabbing her "friend's" hand and dragging him off to the table with me following not far behind.

I'm not about to give her the satisfaction of leaving her alone. "Maya, this is my friend Chewy, and these are Zoe's friends Tori and Tristan." He tells me pointing to a group of teenagers sitting at a table. The guy named Chewy? Weird name, but anyway, he comes up to me holding his hand out to shake mine. "I'm actually Winston Chu. Miles just insists on calling me my childhood nickname. Anyway, what brings a lovely lady like you to us?" he asks me with a wink as I shake his hand.

I back away slightly feeling a little weirded out by the slim Asian boy before answering. "I'm only here because Miles is supposed to be showing me around." I tell him frowning before looking over at Miles and Zoe locking lips again. "Do they do that often?" I ask Winston and he nods. "Yes... I know it's disgusting." He smiles at me seeing the look on my face.

"More specifically… Why is Miles showing you around? I assume you're new? Mrs. Matlin probably met you and sent him to give you a tour didn't she?" he adds as if he knows everything. Clearly he doesn't.

I shake my head at the boy before explaining "It's a long story, and none of your business so… yeah." I tell him turning away and standing behind Miles again as he kisses the crazy wannabe girl for what seems like forever.

She's not even very cute… The middle part she's got going kind of makes me angry. Who does she think she is, Kim Kardashian? I'm not the superficial type, but I can tell that she is and that's when I criticize.

"Yo! Miles, can we maybe look at the school? You and your friend are grossing me out!" I tell him tapping his shoulder as he pulls away from Zoe. He nods his head letting go of the girl as she gives him a sad look that says "Don't leave me. I'm desperate for attention." and he leads me out of the cafeteria without as much as a goodbye.

"So… Is Zoe your girlfriend or something?" I question the teenager as we walk through a hall slowly filling with students. He chuckles at this shaking his head. "Nah" he answers as if it should be obvious.

"Do you just swap spit with anyone?" I as kind of confused at what he was doing making out with a girl who he isn't dating. I guess he must be a player. He stops suddenly and starts fiddling with one of the lockers answering me as he swings it open. "Anyone who asks nicely." He tells me smirking at me. Is he implying something with that sexy smirk of his?

He grabs a few things from the locker before slamming it shut and walking down the hall again. "So… first period starts in 10. We should take you back to my mom's room." He tells me with a smirk as we near Gwen's classroom.

"Welcome back, Maya." The cheerful brunette writing things on the dry erase board greets me. I nod at her acknowledging that I had heard her speak before she turns around facing the classroom with maybe 15 kids already in their seats.

Looking at the room I realize that Gwen is probably an English teacher. Literary devices line the bulletin board beside the white board, and there are motivational posters with references to books covering the walls.

"Miles, you don't think that Mr. Perino will let her sit in? You know my first class is grade 11 English." Gwen smiles at her son and he shakes his head. Mr. P is a total hard a… butt." He corrects himself after almost saying the A word. His mother gives him a disapproving glare before shooing him out of the room as the warning bell sounds.

"Did you see the whole school?" Gwen asks me with a warm grin stretching from ear to ear before I shake my head. "Nope. Just Miles and his girlyfriend being gross." I tell her irritated.

Her lips purse together and her eyes get a look that I can only explain as disgruntled in them as she grips the marker tightly in her fist. "That boy! I apologize, Maya. I don't know where he gets this sort of behavior from." She adds looking angry. I hope I didn't get him in too much trouble… On second thought I don't really care.

**Thanks for reading. I'll post the next half when I get 6 reviews or in a week whichever comes first. Thank you for being patient with me! Updates are going to be a bit sporadic and I'm so sorry.**


	4. Chapter 4

**You guys got up to 6 pretty quick. Thanks for taking the time! I love you guys! I feel so lucky to have readers like you! Here you are, the other part of the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own degrassi.**

"I can have a student in this block show you around if you'd like." She smiles at me a forced smile still looking a little irritated with her son.

"Ooh! I'll do it!" an enthusiastic boy says in the front row having heard our conversation.

"So you can miss the class that you already pay no attention to? I think not!" Gwen sighs at the dark skinned boy. "Jenna, can you come here for a moment?" she asks getting the attention of a blonde girl sitting in the middle of the room.

"Jenna, this is my husband's daughter. She's transferring here next week. Do you think you could maybe give her a tour of the school? You'll be exempt from the classwork." Gwen tells the girl in a peppy and hopeful tone as she smiles and grins. "Of course I can, Mrs. Matlin." She responds matching her smile.

"Okay great. Let me just write you a hall pass." Gwen continues marking up a small sheet of paper before handing it to the girl.

The girl exits signaling for me to go with her and I do. "So… what's your name?" she inquires as we start down the hallway in the direction I hadn't gone yet.

"Maya Matlin" I tell her calmly as we near a set of stairs.

"Oh… I'm Jenna… You're a Matlin and you're Mrs. Matlin's husband's daughter which makes you Katie's sister?" she asks confused at the situation. I nod my head slightly, and she responds "okay… I never knew Katie had a sister. I mean I wouldn't know. I'm a grade younger and we don't even hang out with the same people, but I voted for her. I don't know." She rambles and I just continue nodding as this overly peppy girl does everything in her power to annoy the hell out of me.

We meander around the empty hallways of Degrassi, her showing me all of the major places in the school such as… the garden, the restrooms, the main office, each of the subject wings, the resource center, the library, the band room, the art room, and lastly the gym.

"So what electives are you planning on taking? We've got lots of fun ones. I personally enjoy the music department.

"I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead yet." I explain as we make it down another vacant hallway.

"Oh… well, I definitely recommend that you check out the music classes. Drama is pretty fun too." She continues in the annoying perky voice before rambling on and on about last year's shows. I stop listening as we near Gwen's classroom again concluding the little tour of the school.

It seems like a nice enough place… very suburban. It's a lot cleaner and less dingy than my old school, but then again I didn't mind it that much. The people here are a lot worse. I can tell just by meeting a few of them. I'm an outsider here… Well, I was an outsider there, but this is going to be worse.

I sit through 2 more boring classes in Gwen's room before she tells me that it's lunch time, and escorts me to the cafeteria. She walks me over to a table where Miles and that Winston kid sit throwing fries at each other before scolding her son for his actions and asking if I can sit with them. This is seriously the dumbest thing ever. Not only do I know no one, but I'm being forced to intrude on this kid's life and he's going to hate me… not that I care at all.

"She most definitely can sit with us Mrs. Matlin!" the boy named Winston answers her pulling out the chair beside him and gesturing for me to sit. Does he realize that he has ketchup on his cheek from the fries that were being thrown at him?

I take a deep breath exhaling as I sit down scooting the seat as far from Winston as humanly possible. "Okay, I'll be right over there if you need me, Maya." Gwen smiles at me pointing to a table on the far side of the cafeteria while placing her other hand on my shoulder.

"I won't." I tell her giving her the fakest smile I can muster shaking her hand off of my shoulder. Did I mention how much I hate being touched?

I roll my eyes as the woman walks away and Miles just looks at me oddly. "What's your problem?" he inquires smirking at me and clearly not being confrontational, but more curious.

"I don't have a problem. Your mom is just a little too much for me." I explain leaning back in the chair as he shrugs. "I'm guessing she's better than the druggy." He adds laughing at me slightly.

I shoot the boy a scowl. I know that my mom made a lot of stupid decisions, and I know that they eventually led to her untimely demise, but she tried her best to get better, and I don't place all of the blame on her. She did love me… even if she did lie to me my entire life.

"Can you not talk about my dead mother? Thanks!" I snap standing up and walking away from the table. I don't know where I'm going, but I don't want to be here. It's been 2 days since I found out that she was gone, and I've been trying my very hardest to keep everything bottled up, but at this point I feel that I might snap.

I don't cry, but why are tears blurring my vision right now? I speed up to get out of there not wanting any of my future peers to see me cry. Where did Jenna say the bathroom was? I frantically search as the tears build up heavy in my eyes threatening to fall at the smallest hesitation of my eyelids.

The salty liquid spills from my eyes, and I decide fuck it! I don't care what these people think of me anyway.

"Maya!" I hear the voice of Miles call as I walk speedily down the hall. No fucking way am I going to let him see that he made me cry. I can't believe all it took to break was someone bringing her up.

Rushing out the front door and keeping a quick enough pace I wander aimlessly until I find a secluded area to dry my eyes and get back to my normal self. It doesn't work. Once they start they don't stop. I can't bring myself to quit crying.

A couple comes into the greenhouse where I sit in the corner crying into my sweater in the chilly fall air. "Are you alright?" the girl with shoulder length coppery hair asks me coming toward me after realizing that she and the black haired boy weren't alone.

"Fantastic!" I answer standing up wiping my tear stained face raw before sniffing it all back and walking out without another word.

I don't want to go back inside. I don't want to face Gwen. I don't want to face Miles. I don't go to school there yet. I'm not missing anything by not going to Gwen's last 3 classes am I?

I continue walking around the outside of the school making it to a side with no doors, and sitting below a window leaning my back against the brick wall behind me. The grass underneath me is damp, but I couldn't care less. I just want to be away from everyone right now.

Life would be so much simpler if it was just me. People complicate everything.

I don't know how long I sit in that spot, but I think about a lot of different things. I'm not religious, but for some reason I'm wondering where my mom is. She's dead, but where did she end up? When a person dies are they just gone? That's what I've believed my entire life, but I guess tragedy changes things.

What is that saying? "There are no atheists in foxholes" I guess that is the case here. I'm not in a foxhole, but I kind of hope that there is something after death. I didn't even get to say goodbye.

In all honesty, when she left that morning I was pissed off at her. I called her a bad mother and told her to get her act together, but obviously she didn't. She went out and now she's dead.

I miss her. I know that I shouldn't but I do. She may not have always been there for me, but she's the only person that I had. I was the only one she had. And even last night I was blaming her for not telling me about my father, but I'm kind of glad she didn't.

Would I have turned out like Katie if I had been raised with her? Would I be a total self-absorbed bitch? I mean I can't judge Katie all that much because I did just meet her and I'm sure she's not as bad as I'm making her out to be, but come on? She called me a freak for sitting on the floor.

When the kids start exiting the school I figure that it's time to find the family that I have been stuck into. I meander slowly back into the school where lots of people are leaving and back to Gwen's room where she is nowhere to be found.

I don't think that these people would leave without me. "Maya, where have you been?" Miles asks walking up to me worriedly.

"None of your business." I respond with a snippy tone crossing my arms over my chest. "Do you know how worried my mom is?" he asks me accusingly, and I roll my eyes at him.

"Well, excuse me! I'm so sorry that you're an ass hole and I didn't want to be around you!" I add sarcastically as he frowns at me. "I didn't know that your mom died. I thought you just got taken away from her." He adds guiltily.

"That makes it okay to talk shit?" I rebut irritated at the boy, and he shrugs. "I don't know. I'm sorry!" he apologizes looking defeated.

I take a deep breath turning away from him and see Gwen down the hall. She notices me a few seconds later and jogs quickly over to us. "Maya sweetie, are you okay? Where did you go off to? I was so worried!" she tells me frantically looking me over to make sure that I'm not damaged.

So this is what it's like to have a mom who cares? I think I prefer my mother.

I don't answer her instead just standing there not knowing what to say before she continues. "Is there a reason that you ran off like that?" she asks and I turn around glancing at Miles as he gives me a hopeful and very sad face that just begs me not to tell her.

"I was upset about my mom." I tell her not specifically mentioning who had caused it. She nods her head sympathetically before continuing "Maya sweetheart, I know that you just lost a big part of your life, but you can't run off like that. We were so worried about you." She tells me putting a hand on my back and guiding me through the hall. I don't like touching! Why is this family so touchy?

Katie arrives with all of her belongings at Gwen's room and we all head out Katie calling shotgun once again. What is the point of that? Does it really matter where you sit during a 3 minute car ride?

I sit in the same spot I had earlier cramped between a booster seat and a boy who at this point I am very angry with. "Thank you!" he whispers into my ear as Gwen starts the car and Katie switches the radio to the most obnoxious top 40 station ever.

I guess by not telling Gwen what he had said to me I saved him some trouble, but I really just didn't want to be a tattletale. What would that look like? New girl from questionable background becomes step mom's new nark. I don't think so.

**FYI this will be the last chapter up for a while. I have homework after the first day and I don't have anything else written yet. I also have other stories going and this one is mid-range on priority level because I go by favorites and follows and one of my stories that I haven't updated in forever has like 3 times the follows and like 7 times the favorites. If you want to get this story up higher on the list then you know what to do. lol. Thanks for your patience. You guys rock!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it took a while guys. I'm trying. I love you guys so much. You brought this story up past "But We Keep Going" on priority level, but it's still pretty low. You're lucky that I really like this story and writing it is fun for me because it should've taken me longer. I am supposed to update "Everything Has Changed", but I like this story better right now. It's easier to write!**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter. I think it's kind of good. It's not the best, but you're going to hate Miles... A lot. **

**I don't own degrassi**

Back at the house everyone has something to do but me. Gwen drives Katie to soccer practice and Erin to ballet Greg is still working leaving me alone with Miles.

We sit in the living room on opposite couches as he flips through channels looking for something to watch. He stops on West Drive where his friend Zoe appears on the screen.

"You know I've never actually watched this." He mentions watching the overly dramatic and completely lame television show.

He glances over at me after about a minute of watching, and I still sit there bored leaning my head on my hand as my elbow rests on the arm of the couch.

"You're right about it. This is the dumbest show I've ever had the misfortune of viewing." He explains with a smile as he leans back on the couch pillow.

I ignore him talking to me. Why should I talk to him? He's a jerk.

"Silent treatment ay? Real mature!" he sighs turning the TV off and swinging his legs over the side of the couch sitting in an upright position. I continue staring into space not giving him the satisfaction of talking to him or looking at him when he stands up walking over to me.

"You know I really am sorry about what I said at lunch." He tells me plopping down right beside me. In response to him being so close I slide closer to the arm of the couch creating as much distance as possible still paying no mind to his presence.

"You're really going to make this unbearable for both of us aren't you?" he shakes his head at me resting his arm on the back of the couch behind me.

"Okay… have it your way. We can hate each other if you want to." He comments standing up and finally leaving me alone.

I sit there alone for a while satisfied that he left, but then I quickly realize that I'm bored and have nothing to do. They would have a house phone right? I could call Zig. I kind of miss him… and I'm almost certain he wouldn't be opposed to an update.

Finding a house phone would require talking to Miles wouldn't it? Should I do it? I have nothing better to do... and it's not like I can ignore him forever.

"Um… Miles, is there a phone I could use to call someone?" I question curiously in his doorway pulling his attention from his lap top.

"Oh… you're talking to me now?" he asks with a smirk. "I just need to get a hold of my… friend." I explain not really knowing if I can still refer to Zig as my friend after our last encounter.

"You really couldn't find it yourself? I mean… it's on the wall in the kitchen." He explains standing up and walking over to his dresser.

"I also wanted to make sure it was okay that I use it." I add awkwardly rocking back and forth shifting my weight from my heels to the balls of my feet.

"Knock yourself out!" he laughs pulling a shirt out of the dresser.

"Okay, thanks." I respond before walking down the stairs to look for the phone in the kitchen that I hadn't noticed before.

Once I get to the phone, I dial Zig's house phone and wait for someone to pick up. "Hello" his mother greets in her thick Russian accent.

"Hi Mrs. Novak, this is Maya. Is Zig available to talk?" I ask her as sweetly as I can manage.

"Oh hello dear. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. Let me just go get him. He's hanging out with Damon in his room." She tells me. "Oh. You don't have to bug him. I'm sure he woul…"

"Zig!" she yells not listening to me. I hear a faint "What?" in the background before she responds "Maya is on the phone for you!"

It takes a mere 5 seconds for him to answer completely out of breath. "Maya" he says breathlessly. "How are you? Are you safe?" he asks me quickly with his voice full of worry.

"I'm fine. I just wanted to call you and tell you that I think I'll be okay here." I explain laughing at his concern.

"Oh… okay. I just don't want you to get hurt." He continues cautiously.

"I can take care of myself, Zig." I giggle pacing across the kitchen floor with the phone up to my ear.

"I know you can, but I still worry. You remember what happened at your last foster home." He adds bringing up the bad memories.

"Can we not bring that up?" I groan really not wanting to think about that ever again.

"Sorry… So… how was your first night?" he asks me curiously.

"It was okay. I have my own room. They actually have like a really big house. It's crazy." I explain looking around the home.

"Oh… That's good. Do you like them?" he continues curiously.

"Well, my sister is kind of a bitch, Greg is tolerable, his wife is insanely peppy like all the time which is the most annoying thing ever, and then there's her son Miles who's a total asshole, my younger half-sister is kind of cute I guess. She's shy which is why I don't mind her so much." I explain sighing into the phone.

"That's not good. I know how much you hate peppy… and assholes… and bitches" he continues the last two quietly, but I still hear Mrs. Novak yell at him "Watch your mouth!" which makes me giggle.

"It'll be okay. It's probably better than life with my mom. I can tell that it is. It'll take some adjusting, but it'll be easier here." I explain running my hand through my hair as I wander around the kitchen.

"Dude, come on! You're missing the game!" I hear Damon calling for Zig. "I'm sorry. It's a bad time isn't it? Go hang out with Damon!" I tell Zig feeling bad about bugging him. I don't even know what is with me lately. I'm not supposed to feel bad about stupid stuff.

"No. Damon can wait. You're more important." Zig tells me. I can tell he's smiling on the other side and also that he means this. It's kind of sweet, but it doesn't make up for all of the times he ditched me for him.

"Thanks." I tell him with a slight smirk as he blows Damon off for me for the first time ever I'm sure.

"So a lot of people asked me about you today. They heard about your mom on the news, and they're all curious where you ended up." He continues with a solemn tone.

Since when does anyone at that stupid school care where I end up? It's none of their damn business what I do. "Oh… What did you tell them?" I inquire curiously pushing hair behind my ear.

"To mind their own damn business." He laughs. This is why you've always been friends with Zig. He knows that you don't want those jerks knowing all of this shit about your dad so he didn't tell them. He's not that bad.

"Good!" I respond letting out a deep breath. "So I already miss you a ton. I don't know what I'll do without our 'movie nights'." He sighs sadly into the phone.

"Don't make this a sob fest! You'll see me again, freak!" I laugh not really finding anything funny. "It's going to be really different though."

He's kind of right. Zig and I will barely see each other and odds are that when we do we won't be able to partake in our normal activities... I guess it's whatever. It'll be like it was before we discovered the amazing effects of marijuana.

"So… when do you start school there?" he questions. "Um… Monday, but I shadowed today… until I went off and hid because Miles was a fucking ass. He was making fun of my mom. Who does that?" I sigh irritated as I hear footsteps coming down the steps.

"I wasn't trying to do that! I said sorry. Get over it you little drama queen!" Miles groans walking past me and grabbing a water from the fridge.

"Okay… I guess I should go. Bye Zig!" I tell the dark haired, green eyed boy I can visualize as I prepare to yell at Miles. He's such a dip shit.

"Wait, Maya! I love you! Call me soon!" he continues worriedly.

That is a weird thing for him to say to me… He loves me? Seriously? I mean I know that we've known each other most of our lives, but love is just never something we use. I guess that I love Zig. He's kind of like a brother to me, but he's cool.

"Love you too. Bye!" I say before hanging up. Wow… that feels awkward. I don't think I've used that word since I was 6, and actually meant it. Did I mean it? I don't even know.

I look around curiously. I got off the phone for a reason… Oh, right. Miles was being a dick yet again.

"Crying about how sucky it is here to your little boyfriend?" he asks hopping up on the counter and sipping his bottled water.

"He's my friend… nothing else, and no… I complained about you, but I told him that aside from you, it's not that bad." I continue letting the wall behind me support my weight as I roll my eyes at him.

"You love your friend?" he inquires curiously laughing at me slightly. He clearly doesn't believe Zig is just my friend.

"He's like a brother more than anything else, idiot. We are most certainly nothing like you and your friend." I comment irritated at the cocky and arrogant boy that I'm going to be forced to reside with.

"Okay… you don't need to be so defensive. You're definitely just like your sister." He groans before smirking at me again.

"I'm nothing like her! She's stuck up just like you!" I add glaring at the boy who I originally found to be kind of cute. Not so much when I realize how much of a dick he is.

He lets out a loud breath through his nostrils as the corners of his mouth rise to form a smile. "You're both so… overly dramatic. It's hilarious."

I scowl at the boy as I ponder what else to say to him. It'd be childish just to say "I'm not overly dramatic", and really what good would it do me? He's not wrong. I'm blowing the stupid insult earlier out of proportions, but now he's genuinely just being an asshole.

"You're such a dick." I roll my eyes at him after not being able to find a good rebuttal.

"You're a bit more of a potty mouth than Katie, but that's expected given your upbringing. We had boundaries. I'm guessing druggy didn't give you rules?" he adds lifting his eyebrows. I've never wanted to punch someone in the face more.

"Rot in hell!" I yell turning away as I feel tears forming in my eyes. "I'll keep your mom company!" he laughs.

That's it! I turn back around walking back into the kitchen where he'd hopped off of the counter. He's turned away biting into an apple when I push him as hard as I can causing his stomach to jolt into the counter top and his apple to fly across the room.

"Never talk about my mom again! I'm sorry I said anything about yours, but saying my mom is in hell? Really? What kind of person says that? She died 2 days ago you ass wipe! Don't you think this is hard enough for me without all of your shit? I'm forced to live with a bunch of strangers who I can already tell hate me! Do you know how that feels?" I yell getting increasingly more emotional as the words spill out and ending in a full on cry.

His face immediately falls and he looks at me with apologetic eyes. "Maya, I'm so sorry. You're right. I'm an ass." He tells me as he watches me cry. Not many people have seen me cry. I am pretty sure it's down to this guy and Zig. My mom had, but only because I was a baby once, and I obviously cried then.

"No one hates you! Dad is very happy you're here. I wasn't trying to make you cry. I'm just giving you a hard time. I'm bad at it obviously. I took it too far." He mentions coming toward me and putting a hand on my shoulder looking down at me.

"Don't touch me!" I respond hitting his hand off of me. "Okay… I deserve that." He nods still hitting me with sympathetic eyes. "You can hit me!" he adds obviously feeling incredibly guilty.

I turn away stomping up the stairs to my room slamming the door behind me before throwing myself onto the bed and curling up in a ball hugging the billow tightly to me.

I want to go home. I want my mom to be alive and I want to go home.

**Told you so! You hate him right? Tell me what you think of the chapter! 7 reviews befoore I can even think about updating. Thanks so much for following, favoritng and reviewing though. You guys rock!**


	6. Chapter 6

**To those of you who read my other stories, I promise i'll update them soon. You know how it is though. You get in the mojo for a certain story, and can't switch all of the time.**

**This is a shorter chapter, but something big happens. Read it, I have a feeling you'll love it!**

**I don't own degrassi.**

"Um, we brought pizza home if you're hungry." I hear the older girl's voice as she knocks on the door.

"I'm not hungry." I say my voice cracking as I continue to cling to the pillow on the bed letting the tears continue to spill. I haven't cried like this… ever.

It's hard though. Knowing that I'll never be able to see my mom again. Knowing that I was pissed at her when she died. Knowing that I'll never have the opportunity to say goodbye.

"Hey, are you okay?" she questions with a new tone I'd never heard her use. It was sympathetic… almost Rachel like. "I'm fine" I call hiding the fact that I'm crying very poorly. I can't help it. I don't know how to disguise my voice.

I hear the door knob turn and feel a shift on the bed. "What's wrong?" the girl asks caringly sitting beside me. Her blue eyes are not filled with rage like they had been before, but something a lot softer.

"Nothing. Can you leave me alone please?" I plead with her in a high and squeaky voice as I dig my face further into the pillow.

"Mom says I'm not allowed to leave you up here. You haven't eaten since you got here, and she's worried." She explains softly.

"I'm just not hungry. She doesn't have to worry. She shouldn't worry about me anyway. I'm not even her kid." I respond pulling my face from the pillow and wiping my tear streaked face with the beige sleeve.

"Well, technically I'm not either, but she doesn't care about that… Maya, I think you should eat something. I've been through enough with that. It's not a good thing to starve yourself." She continues with a reassuring smile.

"Why are you being nice all of a sudden?" I question with a sniffle sitting up.

She smiles at me again before continuing. "I heard what happened with you and Miles, and I don't know… I'm sorry about my brother. He didn't know what he was saying and he's really sorry. I told him that it was no excuse, and that I'd hate him if I were you too, but anyway… I know you're going through a lot. I just want you to feel at home. You're my sister after all." She tells me kindly.

"You called me a freak this morning." I comment frowning at the girl.

"Oh… Yeah… sorry about that. I'm not a morning person… or an anytime person. Honestly, I was just kind of shocked. I still am. I can't guarantee that I'll always be nice to you, but I shouldn't have said that." She apologizes awkwardly.

I nod my head awkwardly one last time before she stands up. "Alright, you have to eat now. You don't need to eat pizza, but something." She says gesturing towards the door.

I follow her down the stairs where the family is seated at the dining room table. Katie maneuvers herself to a seat next to Erin and I stand awkwardly not knowing whether or not I am supposed to sit at the last place set next to Miles. "You're more than welcome to sit" Greg comments gesturing toward the seat. I sit down next to the jerk that has managed to make me of all people cry twice in one day.

Katie clears her throat loudly and Miles jolts next to me. "Ow!" he flinches moving a hand down and rubbing his leg. "Katie" Greg says giving her a look.

"He knows why I'm kicking him. Apologize!" she instructs with the fierce stare returning to her eyes.

The adults at the table are confused and Erin sits in her seat dilly dallying with her spoon as Miles turns to me with the same apologetic eyes from earlier.

"Maya, once again, I'm very sorry for what I said earlier. It won't happen again." He says ending with a small smile on his lips. I still can't just forgive him for basically saying that my mom went to hell. "Fall off of a bridge!" I tell him angrily.

"Maya, we don't say that sort of thing… especially around Erin. Now, what is this about?" Gwen comments diverting an intense glare between Miles, Katie, and I.

"Miles has been making rude and extremely hurtful comments about Renee to Maya all day!" Katie says frowning at the boy as his mother and Greg do the same.

"Why would you do that?" Gwen stares at her son intently causing the boy sitting beside me to fidget.

"I don't know. I didn't mean to make you cry." He tells me seeming extremely tense.

"I didn't cry because of you! I have a lot more going on if you haven't noticed!" I yell slamming down my fist on the table before getting up and marching right back upstairs. I can't stand to be around him.

"Maya, come back sweetie! We'll sort all of this out, and I promise you that Miles will be punished for what he said to you." Gwen calls as I make my way up the stairs.

I sit back down on the bed in my room. I wasn't hungry anyway. I sit there just thinking for almost an hour when there is a knock on the door. It's Katie again.

"Come in" I respond causing the older girl to open the door with a plate of food in her hand. "You really have to eat something. You're gonna get sick." She comments sitting down at the end of the bed.

"I'm really not hungry, and I'll be fine thank you." I roll my eyes. Why does everyone in this house worry so much? My mom never worries like this… worried like this.

"Maya, please eat. If you don't want the pizza then at least eat some carrot sticks or something. Starving yourself isn't the answer." She tells me with a frown. What does she think I'm anorexic or something? I'm not. I don't think I'm fat. I'm just not hungry lately.

"I'm not starving myself, and if it'll make you feel better than fine." I tell her grabbing the plate and bringing the pizza up to my mouth. I take a large bite, and then my stomach kind of just kicks in. I actually was pretty hungry.

She grins at me before getting up and walking to the door her eyes stopping on the things sitting on the dresser as I continue to eat the slice.

"That was my moms." I comment after swallowing a bite when I notice her still eyeing the jewelry box from the door. She nods her head, and looks at me. "Yeah… I remember." She smiles tells me her voice cracking slightly. How would she remember that?

It just dawns on me that people do have memories from age 3… some people at least. I guess it's something she recalls. I wonder what else she remembers about my mom.

"I remember helping her pick it out… well, as much as a little kid can." She smiles at me sadly. "Is that a picture album?" she asks curiously looking at the book sitting next to the wooden box with flowers on top. I nod at her and she comes closer to the dresser. "Mind if I take a peek?"

I shake my head and she carefully opens the album glancing at the first page.

"You looked like Erin." She turns to me with a small smile spreading across her features as I nod. "I noticed."

"She's really beautiful. It's a shame she got tied up in all of that. It aged her a lot." The older girl comments grazing her finger down the page.

"Yeah… I guess. I never really knew her when she was sober." I shrug my shoulders setting the now empty plate on the night stand and standing up walking over to Katie looking at the pictures.

"So…. How was it?" she questions closing the album when she reaches the final page. "How was what?"

"I don't know… Your life I guess?" she continues causing me to shrug my shoulders in response.

"Like what was it like having her as a mom?" she adds curiously looking hopeful. What does she even want me to say here? How do describe 14 years quickly?

"I guess I was more of a mom to her than she was to me. After grandma died, she kind of spiraled out of control… not that she was in control before… She just got really bad, and I ended up picking up the pieces a lot. I was in and out of foster care for a few years before I was able to really take care of myself, and that always sucked. I don't really know what else to say about it." I explain awkwardly.

The seventeen year old nods her head quietly pondering lots of different things. "I wonder why she kept you a secret from dad. They stayed in contact slightly up until 2005ish." Katie responds biting her lip.

"She probably didn't want to lose me too. I was all she had. She was all I had. Now she's dead and I'm left with nothing." I sigh frowning at the somber thoughts parading through my brain.

Katie smiles sympathetically placing her hand on my knee reassuringly. "You've got us." She tells me before I move my knee awkwardly causing her to loosen and eventually let go of her grip on it. "I don't belong here." I huff annoyed thinking about the boy who had already made this place so unbearable.

"Don't say that. You just got here and you're already arguing with Miles… That happens to me daily. He's such a little shit!" she giggles. Wow…. I don't think I'd heard her swear before now.

"Yeah… I've never had to coexist with people other than my mom so it's just different, and I don't think it'll last. You guys will get sick of me, and Greg will be calling my social worker soon enough." I tell her with a sigh.

She gives me another sympathetic look. "Maya, we wouldn't do that to you. I promise that it'll all get easier as you get adjusted into things. Dad already loves you so much and so do all of us. I mean, now that you're here we wouldn't want you to leave." She explains awkwardly trying to convince me that I have nothing to worry about.

Sure I don't… except I do, if they can turn back odds are they will. I can tell that I'm too different to fit in here, and it's only a matter of time before they realize it too. They love me? Yeah… sure. They don't know me enough to love me. Miles clearly hates me. Erin hasn't said two words to me, and Katie just now started being nice. Too nice even. It's kind of bothersome.

We sit in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Katie excuses herself saying that she has to study for a test. When she's walking out I ask her something that I'll probably regret later. "Um… Katie, do you think that if I'm stuck going to school with you guys tomorrow, I could tag along with you? There is only so much of Gwen's classroom that I can take, and I don't really want to have to hang around a guy who hates me." I question hopefully.

"Yeah of course. Maybe you could borrow something of mine to wear too. I think I have some stuff from freshman year in the back of my closet that might fit you. It might help you fit in a little bit." She adds obviously not trying to be rude about insulting my clothes. I know they're nothing fancy. I'm pretty sure my entire wardrobe is from thrift stores and discount chains which I've never had a problem with.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" I ask her slightly offended as I glance over my jeans and sweater.

"Your sweater is literally hanging on you, and I don't know. We'll go shopping with Gwen this weekend. It'll be fun!" she grins at me exiting the room.

I let out a huff flinging my body against the bed after she exits. I am comfortable in my own clothes. I know that they're not much, but they're mine.

I suppose it wouldn't be the worst idea to try and fit in a bit. The glares today from people were annoying, and I'm not going to live like that for the next four years if this living arrangement works out. I'm sure about that.

**Was I right? I personally love the sister relationship between Maya and Katie, so I'm bringing it in. Tell me what you thought!**

**BTW, thanks for all of the great feedback last time. It was so awesome, and I can't wait to see what you have to say regarding this one. Have a lovely day, readers!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Oh my gosh guys! The amazing response to last chapter made me so want to cry. I love you all so much! Thanks for supporting this story. You have no clue how happy it makes me when I get feedback from you guys. I'm sorry I took so long. I've been going through some stuff and I'm trying my best with the limited time I have where I am actually motivated to do something.**

**i don't own degrassi**

**This chapter is here to give you an inside look at Miles' life. It's not all sunshine and unicorns like it may seem.**

Miles POV

Grounded for two weeks. That's my punishment for "belittling Maya". I know that I may have crossed a line, but this seems a bit severe. When I tease Katie, even if it's about something serious that makes me feel a bit guilty when I look back on it, I get at most a firm talking to telling me not to do it again.

Like that time I joked about her puking up everything when she was recovering from her bulimia. I got yelled at, but I didn't get grounded. That was worse if you think about it. I felt like more of an ass after she started puking again than I do now, but that might just be because Katie is my sister. Maya is just… some girl that I have to live with.

Ugh… I'm at my dad's house this weekend which means mom is going to call him to tell him I'm grounded. I know how this works. It's happened a bunch of times. I get in trouble with mom, and she calls dad to tell him that it applies to his house as well. Dad gets all defensive saying that she has no right to discipline me at his house, and mom goes off into spiel about how parenting is a team effort, and he needs to work with her.

Dad will say something derogatory about her parenting and then about Greg's, and then mom will get angry with him for bashing her husband. Dad will continue to talk shit on Greg, and the phone call will end in one of them slamming the phone down because one of them went too far… usually dad.

Dad tends to be a bit bitter when it comes to Greg. He hates the man with a burning passion. It's not because I call Greg dad. My father doesn't care about that. He's just still mad that Greg got mom.

It's his own fault. If he wanted mom then he shouldn't have left her alone with a 6 month old baby. He shouldn't have waited so long to care. By the time he "came to his senses", Greg and mom were already engaged, and it was too late.

Apparently, through my father's sick and twisted mind, it's my fault that mom and he didn't work out. It makes no sense to anyone, but him that any of this is my doing. It's his fault! He left her alone with me. He didn't even care for me at all until I was like 2. Even then, he only wanted to be involved for his own benefit. He didn't want to look like an asshole to everyone for abandoning his kid when he was trying to become a politician.

It's so clear to me how much he loathes my existence. "You have ruined my life!", "I wish you never existed!", and "This is why your mother should have went through with the abortion!" are all lines that resonate with me to this day. He may have said most of them years ago, but it's still true to him. He hates me. The man who is genetically built to love me hates my guts just because I'm alive. If that doesn't suck then I don't know what does.

When dad acknowledges my presence it's usually just to yell at me, or hit me if he's had a few too many. I remember last time I got grounded. Mom found pot in my room, and dad screamed at me for being such a failure. He was mostly concerned with his reputation. If it got out that Miles Hollingsworth II has a delinquent of a son then he'd never snag that position as mayor.

That was the night that I "fell" down the steps, the night dad took things a bit far, and had to lie to cover up the fact that I was basically beaten to a pulp. It was my fault that time. I was egging him on the whole time which was stupid on my part. I know how to make it less intense. I just chose not to.

He drove me to the hospital, and it turns out that my "fall" left me with some broken ribs, a black eye, and some internal bleeding. He's such an asshole sometimes. The only reason that I'm hesitant to tell is because A. No one would believe me and B. I'd really have it coming if I ruined his campaign.

The only one who knows is Chewy and that's only because he's witnessed it. He was staying over back in grade 7, and I accidentally pissed dad off. I got yelled at and slapped by the back of his hand. Chewy heard the loud smack as dad's hand connected with my cheek and was able to put two and two together when I went back into my room my cheek bleeding where dad's class ring had hit.

At the breakfast table, I sit beside Erin as she takes a bite of her cheerios. "Miles, how come you don't like Maya?" the small girl questions her mouth full of cheerios.

"I don't know, Erin. Why don't you?" I ask the little girl who hasn't said more than three words to the girl. The little girl shrugs her shoulders continuing her breakfast when I hear someone coming down the steps. I figure it's probably mom, because Katie is always the last one downstairs.

"Good morning Maya!" Greg greets peeking out from over today's copy of _The Toronto Interpreter._ The girl stood there in the doorway of the kitchen wearing a light blue dress that Katie had worn plenty of times in the last few years. It's a bit big on her, but not that bad because it was from Katie's bad days. Apparently, she has a shape underneath the baggy sweaters, and boot cut jeans.

She nods her head acknowledging that she heard him before leaning on her elbows on the island. "Are you hungry this morning?" he asks his daughter with happy grin.

"No. I'm alright." She responds with a shake of the head. "Maybe you should take a banana or something just in case you get hungry." Dad suggests pointing to the bowl of fruit on the island.

"I think I'll be okay." She sighs biting her lower lip. I roll my eyes at the girl who appears to not eat anything. She's very slim, smaller than Katie was at her sickest. She's probably on the same freaking boat.

"Are you rolling your eyes at me, a... Jerk face?" she scowls at me angrily crossing her arms over her chest as Greg lowers the paper looking between the two of us concerned. I know that she was going to call me an ass something. She's attempting to filter her language for Erin… isn't that sweet… not really. She's still annoying.

"Yep. We don't need another one of you. Eat!" I rebut not believing the scene she's deciding to cause here.

"Son, that's enough!" Greg frowns at me disappointedly. "I'd feel better if you ate something though, Maya!"

"Oh my god, what is wrong with you people? You think just because I'm not hungry that there's something wrong with me? No! I just lost my fucking mom. Do you ever figure that I'm in shock? Leave me alone for crying out loud!" she freaks out before stomping out of the room.

"Miles, was that necessary?" Greg questions in an irritated tone. "Daddy, she said bad words." Erin mentions pulling on his sleeve.

"It's true. We don't need another Katie!" I groan getting up from the table. "Go apologize!" he adds pointing out of the room to where Maya had gone off to.

"If I have to apologize to that… that brat one more time, I'm going to… ugh!" I mumble as I walk out of the kitchen.

I knock on the door which Maya had slammed seconds ago, and she opens it giving me a look of disgust as her blue eyes peer into mine.

"What do you want, asshole?" she asks angrily. "I'm supposed to apologize… again. I'm sorry that I don't think this family can handle another eating disorder." I explain with absolutely no sincerity.

"I don't have a fucking eating disorder. I am not hungry! I already said that. Why is that so hard to believe?" she snaps clearly frustrated with me.

I roll my eyes again wishing that she would just shut her mouth. Katie hates when we bring that shit up, and she is right down the hall. I lay my hands on Maya's shoulders walking slowly and causing her to step backwards into her room before I close the door behind me.

"We know what to look for. Katie is bulimic… or was… I don't know if she does it anymore. She goes to therapy every week for it, and I don't know. I'm sorry. Don't be so loud about it though. She gets so angry when we talk about it." I explain as she smacks my hands off of her shoulders.

"Never touch me!" she flips angrily after I explain the situation to her. "I really don't have an eating disorder. I promise! Don't worry about it!" she explains rolling her eyes at me.

"Okay, then please eat!" I shoot her a smile. "That dress is hanging on you, and it was Katie's when she was sick."

"I'm like a lot shorter than her. I'm allowed to be smaller!" she sighs biting her lower lip crossing her arms over her chest again. I look the girl up and down realizing that she's right. Katie has got a good four inches on her, and she looks proportional. Okay, maybe we go a bit overboard worrying when anyone skips a meal, but I think that we are allowed to be concerned considering I haven't seen Maya eat since she got here.

"I'm worried because I care. Just eat a damn apple!" I laugh trying to keep a light mood in the room without pissing her off again too much.

"You shouldn't care about me. You just met me, and fine. I will." She rolls her eyes with a less bitter expression on her face before reaching for the doorknob and walking back out.

Maya's POV

Why can't he just be hideous? I feel so weird and gross for being into him, but I can't even help it. It's kind of sweet that he cares enough about me to make sure I eat. I'm not starving myself and have no intention to do so, but it's the thought that counts right?

I reenter the kitchen grabbing an apple from the island and biting into it the moment Miles comes through the doorway. He sits back down next to Erin and smiles at me satisfied with himself. Greg looks up at me and smiles before looking over at Miles, and smiling at him.

"That's what I like to see. My kids working through their problems on their own without my help. We friends now?" he gestures between Miles and I. "Ew… his kids? No! Stop making this awkward, Greg. Miles is technically not your kid. I technically am and that means that technically he is not related to me.

…

I tag along with Katie all day and she introduces me to her best friend and her boyfriend. Katie is the student body president, captain of the soccer team, co-president of the debate team, initiator for the school garden, and summa cum laude on the honor roll. How the hell is she so perfect and busy all the time?

Everyone seems to like her and her friend Marisol says that I will end up being liked by association. It seems like I've got some pretty fucking massive shoes to fill. I doubt I'll even try. In all honesty, I'm a loner, pot head, with weird hair, and a trucker's vocabulary. I could never be like Katie. I mean, now that I've taken a closer look, there's nothing wrong with Katie. She's actually been kind of nice to me all day, but that's the problem. There's nothing wrong with her. She's absolutely perfect. I'm just about the opposite.

Katie did make me look the part today. She gave me this dress to wear that doesn't fit her anymore and I have to say… although it's not me, it did help me fit in with her and her friends.

After school, Katie and I headed back toward Gwen's room to be driven back home, and I realized that Miles wasn't there when we got in.

"Where's Miles?" I ask Gwen and Katie confusedly sitting in the back seat as we drive away.

"Oh… He's staying at his father's this weekend. He'll be back on Sunday night, but this weekend will just be us girls… well, and your father. Katie says we need to take you shopping, and we were going to look for paint swatches if you'd like for your room, and we need to add you to our cell phone plan. We'll make a day of it, just the three of us. It'll be great." Gwen mentions optimistically.

"You guys don't have to buy me clothes or a cell phone. I'm grateful that I even have a place to stay." I respond graciously not understanding why she's being so nice when I've literally been nothing but mean to her.

"Don't be silly, Maya! Katie and I never pass up an excuse to go shopping, and you need a phone because we like to be able to get ahold of you when we need to." Gwen explains beaming with joy.

…

We spend all of Saturday "getting to know each other" and then Sunday shopping. I've never really liked shopping, but both Katie and Gwen seemed pretty adamant on making sure I have clothes that "fit" me.

I suppose it wasn't that bad. At first, Katie and Gwen were choosing really weird things for me to try on, but I was quite blatant with what I thought and soon enough they were able to choose things that I didn't hate.

I'm not girly like Gwen and Katie. I prefer dark colors and plain looking things. At first we went to Katie's favorite stores, and then after a while they concluded that I am nothing like Katie and took me to stores that were much more… I don't know… up my alley.

I felt kind of awkward having these people buy clothes for me, but then again I didn't ask for them. I'd much rather have just kept my clothes. When we left the mall that they had dragged me to, they signed up for another line, and I got a cell phone just like Katie and Miles have. It's really weird being a part of a family that isn't struggling to get by… a family that actually cares about each other for the most part. It's strange to think what my life would have been like if mom would have told them about me. Would he have taken me to? Would she have even let him? Would I be perfect like Katie if I had grown up in the same atmosphere?

We pick a few swatches at the hardware store before going back home. They're letting me choose the color. I've never chosen the color of a room before. I don't even know what would look okay. I guess I'll ask Katie to help me choose.

Gwen makes dinner as soon as we get home and not even an hour after getting back we are all called to the dining room. I sit down in the set that in the past few days has become my designated spot, and wait for the few remaining members of the household to take their seats.

It isn't until the Miles sits down across from me that I realize he had arrived home with a big bruise on the side of his face. "Woah. Did you get in a fight?" I question curiously trying to get a closer look at his swollen and bruised face.

"No… I… I slipped... I was in the kitchen and Rosetta had just mopped and I didn't know. I hit my face on the counter." He responds nervously before dishing some carrots onto his plate. "I thought you said it was in the bathroom?" Erin asks her brother with a full mouth confusedly.

"No Erin. I said kitchen." He corrects the little girl while his mother gives him a bewildered look.

"Miles, I swear you said bathroom. I was just in the next room. Don't try and confuse her!" Gwen adds concerned. "Do you not remember? You don't think you got a concussion do you?"

"No! I don't. Can you just drop it?" he pleads desperately. Something obviously happened and I don't think that he slipped… in the bathroom or in the kitchen. The way his eyes are darting around, the way his lip is quivering is telling me that there is more to it than that.

What do I know though… I really don't know him enough to be making these assumptions.

"What did you all do today?" Miles questions switching the subject to anything but his injuries.

Katie grins glancing over at me. "We went shopping!" Katie mentions to Miles.

Miles lets out an audible chuckle rolling his eyes at Katie before she questions "What are you laughing at?"

"Do you really need any more clothes? Your closet is filled to the brim." He sighs before she rebuts "Well, for your information we didn't go for me. We went for Maya… and she is going to look so adorable for her first day at school tomorrow!" Katie squeals with a wide smile in my direction.

The boy nods his head before turning his attention to me. "So how did you like shopping with mom and Katie?" he asks curiously. "It was fine I guess."

"Really? You don't have to lie to protect their feelings. They know they're a bit much when it comes to shopping." Greg chuckles from the other end of the table.

"No. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Not that I don't like you guys or anything. I do. I'm just not much of a shopper." I add really not wanting to piss anyone off. What the fuck is going on with me? Am I seriously being this nice to these people?

Ye, they gave me a place to stay and have tried their best to make me feel at home, but I am not supposed to I don't know… warm up to them this quickly.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time." Gwen smiles at me before asking Erin how her day was. The little girl who has of recent started speaking in my presence tells of her play date with her friend from school, and explains that they got into a little argument because "Gigi didn't believe that I got a new sister."

It's nice that she's referring to me as her sister I guess. Katie has also started to do that. Greg is referring to me as his daughter left and right and I'm starting to actually feel like they are happy I'm here… well, aside from Miles. He's still a douchebag.

Who am I kidding? He's not even that bad… and he's kind of cute which is always a plus.

I need to stop… like right now! This is dangerous territory that will definitely get me put into a group home… Is it sad that I think that is the lesser option at this point? Last week I wanted to be placed in a group home rather than here, but it's better than I thought it'd be. It's kind of nice to be part of a perfect little family for once.

**Please tell me what you think and Have a lovely day!**


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